” ’Relax,’ said the night man,
We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave! ”

Used to sing Leonard Cohen, remembering the afternoons spent with Janis Joplin at Chelsea Hotel in NY. True icon and reference of ’60 and ’70, it was attended and adored by those days artists as Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol who shot here “Chelsea Girl” played by Edie Sedwick. Sid Vicious killed (maybe) here his girl, under the effect of heroine. A pyramid of creativity, hard to understand now and about which we can only guess the taste. It seems like, looking at the front face, it hides the story of all those big names that adopted it as “home”. Overlooking on the 23th street, the hotel shows his best side, and it’s presentable to the everyday life of the City. Actually everything remains inside, hold in the memory of the walls. Once you come inside, never go back.

I’m thinking about “Hotel California” by Eagles:

” ’Relax,’ said the night man,
We are programmed to receive.
You can checkout any time you like,
But you can never leave! “

A very difficult mix of ingredients, which create interest, emulation, admiration. They are fashion icons, out and out muses that, with their style, seduce the public and, subtly, influence trends and tastes. Edie Sedwick is one of them or was for a while. In the ’60 got in touch with Andy Warhol, belonging a member of his Factory and irreparably becoming overwhelmed. Her style inspires designers, conquer Vogue’s covers, act in movies. She is the image of pop-art. Always in unstable balance between elegance, glamour, news, talent and stupidity, lightness. Star and New York spoiled girl. The mix is lethal, she become “The Superstar”. But the echo is too loud, and she’s not strong enough. She’s overwhelmed, falls in drougs and she’s lost forever. Her pictures are amazing: huge earrings but with no doubt necessary, blonde bob hair, angelic face. A fashion icon, a Poor Little Rich Girl.

To retrace Edie Sedwick’s history I recommend a 2006 movie “Factory Girl” with fantastic Sienna Miller.